Trauma
by corneroffandom
Summary: Jamie Noble's attack is Seth's wake up call. In more ways than one. (Jamie legit doesn't have a character tag? Tsk)


Days off for the both of them are rare. Especially now that they're on different rosters. The mere fact that they're able to travel from Ohio- on separate flights- and arrive in Iowa before lunch makes both men exhale as soon as they're reunited outside of the airport, beyond eager to drive home and do nothing until Friday.

Now, currently, Seth Rollins is laying in bed, half sprawled out over a pillow, half hugging it, and he's so out of it that he doesn't notice the phone ringing. He doesn't hear Kevin yipping, or the bed shifting next to him. But, a few moments later, he does feel a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him awake. He squints up, groggy, and grunts out, "What?"

Half of his hair is in his face and a careful hand brushes the strands out of his eyes before pressing the phone into his hand. "It's Noble," is all Dean Ambrose tells him, voice tense and face tight with concern.

Dean doesn't _do_ concerned, especially about Seth's former Authority cronies, so it feels like cold water doused over his back as Seth sits up, fumbles a little, and finally gets the phone to his ear. "Hello? Jamie, what-?" A female voice cuts him off, frantic and shaky, and he swallows hard as he listens, dark eyes wide.

Dean is already moving, making phone calls and throwing together some stuff into a bag, and Seth can only just watch him as he listens. When he finally hangs up, Dean stops what he's doing and walks back over, kneeling down by the bed and wrapping his fingers around Seth's wrists as he buries his face in his hands. "Get ready to go, I have tickets for both of us on the first flight out," he says quietly, Seth dropping his hands from his face and staring at him incredulously, eyes wet and red.

"You're coming with?" he asks, voice faint and trembling.

"Of course I am." Helping Seth untangle himself from the sheets, putting the pillow back where it belongs, Dean then hands him some clothes. "Go on, I'll have everything ready by the time you're out."

Seth grits his teeth against the sudden stab of pain along his ribs as he stands, throwing his arms around Dean. "What would I do without you?" he mumbles into the other man's neck before pulling away and searching his face. When Dean quickly kisses him, he sighs into it and considers just staying there for awhile longer, but knows that they need to move so he reluctantly pulls away and dashes into the bathroom to make himself look somewhat presentable.

The flight to West Virginia is lengthy and tortorous and Seth is pretty sure, if not for Dean doing all he can to distract him, charming the flight attendants into bringing them as many snacks as possible, followed by seeing just how many drinks they could get out of the woman, and handing Seth his earbuds as soon as a baby starts fussing nearby, Seth's pretty sure he would've spontaneously combusted right there on the plane. Or something similar to it, at any rate.

Once they do land, Dean gets them a taxi and for once, Seth is the one sitting in the backseat, eyes darting around, knee bouncing anxiously, as streets zip by when traffic will allow. He's half-biting at his thumbnail when Dean reaches over and grips his hand, staring calmly at him. "How are you so calm?" Seth bites out through still-gritted teeth, swallowing hard and trying not to rock back and forth as the taxi driver glances back at them.

"'Cause you need me to be," Dean says simply, sandwiching Seth's hand in his and looking up. "The hospital's just down this way. See the signs?"

Seth nods dumbly, overwhelmed by a new fear, a new set of anxieties. They hadn't heard anything while on the plane, both of their phones quiet and useless during the taxi ride. It hurts to climb out of the taxi physically and emotionally, his ribs nor his thoughts cohesive enough for Seth's liking right now. He turns to Dean at the doors and smooths his jacket down. "You don't have to come in, I know... I know you hate hospitals," he mumbles.

Just like that, underneath the calm facade, relief gleams in Dean's eyes, steadying Seth's resolve. "Alright, if you're sure," he says slowly. "I'll go book us a hotel room."

Seth nods, cupping Dean's face as he kisses him slowly. Unlike back at the apartment, now that they're here and he's had time to think about worst case scenarios, uncertainty keeps him from wanting to rush to get to Jamie's side. "I'll see you soon."

It's weird, leaving Dean behind, and Seth can barely function talking to the nurses, but he manages. He digests room number 294, realizing that that means Jamie is now out of ER and in a room of his own, which Seth isn't sure is a good thing or bad. An elevator ride later, he finds himself outside of the room he'd been directed to, eyes locked on the numbers taunting him. He swallows, closing his eyes against what might be waiting for him inside, clenching his hand into a fist and absentmindedly rubbing his palm against his aching ribcage.

Slowly pushing the door open, he breathes in the antiseptic smell, listens to the steady beeps, and observes just how dimly lit the room is. Shuffling forward, he keeps his eyes down until he's next to the bed, exhaling a shuddering breath before looking up inch by inch. Jamie's hooked up to oxygen, and IVs, and another tube is snaking out from under the sheets, an oximeter hanging off of his fingers. He's pale and quiet, asleep and so vulnerable looking that it almost makes Seth sick just to look at him.

When he hears footsteps behind him, he spins around, about to strike, certain that those responsible for this has somehow snuck in to finish the job, but he stops short, finding himself staring at a woman. Jamie's girlfriend, he guesses. "Sorry," he exhales, lowering his hand.

She smiles wearily at him and inches closer, resting a hand on Jamie's arm before sitting down on the chair set next to the bed on the other side. "He just got out of surgery a little bit ago," she says softly. "You arrived at a good time." Her eyes flicker back onto Seth's frenzied looking appearance and her smile softens. "He'll be happy to see you."

Seth stares down at the man, thinking about everything they'd been through. Feuds with Cena, with Sting, Brock Lesnar, all of the drama with the Authority. Jamie had still been recovering from Lesnar's attack when Seth's knee had fallen apart, but he'd visited him after the surgery anyway, even through some of the rehab. Seth grows more and more troubled as he thinks about how far apart he, Jamie and Joey all have drifted since JnJ Security was whole, a unit. "I'm not sure why he would be," Seth laughs brokenly. "I suck at this whole friendship thing."

She shrugs. "You wouldn't know it, talking to him. He's always bragging about his friend Seth this, his friend Seth that." She looks up at him, eyes twinkling in the pale light coming from the window. "He's so proud of you for returning from such an awful knee injury and not missing a step."

"I didn't know," he murmurs. "I haven't had time to really talk to him since wrapping up rehab."

She nods. "He understands. You're here now, that's the important thing." Seth finds a second chair and settles in, staring across at Jamie as he sleeps on. "How long will you be staying?"

"A day or two," he says, biting his lip as he thinks about it. "We have to get back on the road this weekend... but I'll come visit him next week, as soon as I can. After Raw." Weighing all of this, he rests his hand gingerly on Jamie's, relieved that his skin feels normal, not too cold or too warm. Licking his lips, he tries to find the words. "He- hey, Jamie. It's me, Seth. Remember me?" His laugh is bitter and rough and ends too soon to sound normal. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much. I'll try to make up for that. I promise."

Jamie doesn't respond but his girlfriend looks unconcerned when Seth glances at her. "Nurse told me he'd be out for a little while yet, but should start coming around soon," she says, adjusting the pillow under Jamie's head carefully. "They got him on the _good_ drugs _._ "

Seth recalls those all too well and squeezes Jamie's hand, remembering waking up to him bustling around his hospital bed almost a year ago, clearly trying to keep busy until Seth woke up, all of the tension bleeding away from his shoulders once he realized Seth's eyes were opened and trained on him, his playful recriminations about taking too long echoing in Seth's ears even all of these months later. He chuckles softly. "Yeah, I know how that goes."

As if hearing him through the haze of drugs and trauma, Jamie's lips twitch up into a faint smirk, his fingers tightening around Seth's, the first sign of his waking up a relief to both of them. "He's gonna be just fine," she says softly, running her fingers over Jamie's short hair.

"Of course he will, he's strong," Seth agrees, closing his eyes in relief over actually believing these words for the first time since he'd been woken up by the phone call and Dean's worry. "And he'd better never scare us like this again."

Jamie's girlfriend makes a soft sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Damn straight," she agrees before they settle back into their silent, patient vigil.

When Seth looks up not even half an hour later to find Jamie staring back at him, he grins. "Took you long enough," he says, laughing as recognition crosses Jamie's face and he squeezes Seth's fingers even tighter.


End file.
